A Taiwanese woman who speaks English as her second language may be praised for her competence in the English language in her home country but be viewed as less competent in the United States because of her accent.
People who have taken the time to learn to communicate in a different language are competent. From my experience with my family which for some members English is not their first language, it surprises me when people see it as a negative. That it is a hinderance to speak in a broken tone. It is interesting to see that competence in communication changes on the different spaces you are in. It fascinates me because it is visible in many different places.